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Trump Dismisses AI Existential Risk, Prioritizes Tech Supremacy Over China
Technology Services · Internet Software/Services · yonhap_finance · 2026-09-11
Amid warnings from Anthropic researchers about AI's potential to destroy humanity, Donald Trump emphasizes that winning the tech race against China is his top priority.
What Happened
AI Existential Concerns: Former and current researchers at Anthropic have raised alarms regarding the potential for AI to spiral out of control and threaten human existence. Some staff members have even suggested a significant probability of catastrophic outcomes within the next decade, criticizing tech firms for reckless development.
Trump's Stance: Donald Trump has dismissed these existential warnings, stating he is not concerned about the hypothetical risks posed by AI. Instead, he framed the issue primarily through the lens of national competition, prioritizing the maintenance of American technological dominance.
US-China Tech Race: Trump emphasized that the primary concern is the risk of losing the AI race to China, which would put the United States at a severe disadvantage. He claimed that the U.S. currently maintains a lead of roughly one year, which he views as a critical margin that must be protected.
Industry Response: In response to the growing controversy, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly discussed slowing down the development of advanced AI models. This shift suggests that major industry players may be considering self-regulation to address safety concerns while navigating the intense global competition.